Rugby … with cauliflower ears

Weekend predictions

March 24, 2013by Tank

Bulls change nine and that makes Tank Lanning a little nervous, but the big man likes how tough Plumtree has been on the Sharks. The weekend’s teams, times and predictions.

The term “Super Saturday” has been bandied about a little too freely in recent times, but I am thinking that 10 hours of rugby that includes all 5 South African franchises playing in different matches over a 13 hour period might just deserve to be called “Super Saturday” …

Whatever you call it, it is going to take some serious willpower, and perhaps two pink tickets, to watch all 10 hours …

Kings on a gym bike, Bulls over tea and scones to appear semi decent, Cheetahs with a shandy in hand while the first fire of the day burns down, Bulls post first boerrie rolls with ice cold beer in hand, and then Stormers with a Vodka Redbull or three while the second fire burns down?

However you do it, make sure that Coleman coolerbox is properly stocked and filled with ice! Proper planning makes for a proper performance …

Got to love the return of the Nonu, but just not sure he has that much of an impact on games anymore, especially with the organised defences. Nanai-Williams on the other hand, is a real nuisance with his hot stepping and blistering pace. Mixed bag for the Chiefs down here in SA, and they will have travelled, but still think they will have too much in the tank for Brad Thorn’s men.

Turmoil in Camp King this week as SARU turn the screws and force them to send two foreigners home. Cheeky is on his way to have a word with the boys in New Zealand while his son is hoping to be fit for the last game on tour. They have far exceeded my expectations and it’s been a pleasure to see a team come together despite fighting the odds, but passion, guts and gees can only take you so far … Now it’s the bleeding Crusaders in Christchurch with Dan Carter and Kieren Read at the helm, and my oath did they look good when dishing out a rugby lesson to the Bulls last week.

Tough one to call. Bulls absolutely schooled last week, while the Reds will be embarrassed by their loss to the Force last week. Frans Ludeke has made more changes than a chameleon sitting on Joseph’s coat, including benching Morne Steyn and Juandre Kruger. Potgieter is back, but must have a little rust in the joints. I just cannot see the visitors pulling it together in these circumstances.

How sensational have the Cheetahs been on this tour? And so soothing on the optics in the process as well. Phillip van der Walt and Lappies Labuschagne have been super human, and this weekend they are joined by boy wonder Heinrich Brussow. The Force will be up after last week’s win against the Reds, and it will be good humour watching the Ebersohn brothers going head to head. The Bookies say the Force, while the Superbru community say the Cheetahs. We love SuperBru!

Never ever have I seen such a sleepy performance from the Sharks as the one on display in the first half against the Brumbies last week, and sleepy is being kind! Plumtree obviously agrees and in a fairly drastic move, he has dispatched his captain to the conditioning sweat pit in an effort to rid the man of a few pies picked up in the off season. Not ideal to have one of the top paid players in the country being too friendly with the buffet! Kankowski also gather splinters this week as skipper Daniel moves to 8 to make space for 2 fetchers in Botes and Coetzee. I think these moves will work.

Not quite a get out of jail card against the Chiefs, but close, and then a week off for the Stormers. Good timing as it allows the return of Juan de Jongh and Jaco Taute, the latter from the bench, which is a good call given Pietersen’s form. Peter Grant is out for a month (no surprise given that he aims to play rugby all year round) so the pressure will be off Elton Jantjies for a bit, and with Pietersen taking the kicks, there are no more excuses. But with Duwenhage back at 9 (and the flyhalf backup) and Van den Heever on the wing, expect a more conservative gameplan. Against a side with a truly world class defense, a mean fetcher in Smith, and exceptionally well drilled by Jake White, I do not see this being remotely pretty. And it could quite literally go either way, so going with the home side.

Tahs off 2 losses to the Brumbies and Cheetahs, the Blues off a loss to the Bulls, but with a bye to recharge. The Blues were the form side prior to the upset against the Bulls (with Rene Ranger scintillating) and will be looking to regain a bit of that against a side who had Berrick Barnes back for all of about 35 minutes last week.

That is the exact reason why I backed the Cheetahs. I think Sias will be out to prove a point and he will go over the top. Besides that, one rarely see him play 2 decent games in a row and he has had 2 good ones in a row. I dont see him having another.